Egalitarian
adjective /ɪˌɡalɪˈtɛːrɪən/ — Believing in and working toward equal rights for all.
Definition
Believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities — marked by a belief in human equality regardless of birth, class, race, or other distinctions.
Beyond the definition
Egalitarian is both a belief and a practice. The belief is that equality is not just desirable but fundamental; the practice is treating people accordingly in daily life — not the condescension of noblesse oblige but the genuine refusal to rank.
Origin & history
From French egalitaire, from egalite (equality), from Latin aequalitas. Related to the French Revolutionary ideal of egalite — one of the three values of liberte, egalite, fraternite.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The company had a genuinely egalitarian culture — titles were de-emphasised and everyone ate in the same cafeteria.
His politics were consistently egalitarian — he had no patience for systems that produced unnecessary hierarchy.
There is something egalitarian about great art — it speaks across distinctions of class and education.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Egalitarian” when the meaning fits your context: Believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities — marked by a belief in human equality regardless of birth, class, race, or other distinctions.
Synonyms
democratic, equal rights, non-hierarchical
Antonyms
hierarchical, elitist, aristocratic
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Shared Work on Bridge
Three unnamed adults work around a table, each contributing a different piece to build a shared model bridge.
The cooperation between the three equals around the table embodies an egalitarian approach. Each person contributes their piece to the structure based on shared goals, reflecting a belief in equality where no individual’s contribution is more important than another's.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Egalitarian" mean?
Egalitarian is adjective meaning: Believing in and working toward equal rights for all.. Believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities — marked by a belief in human equality regardless of birth, class, race, or other distinctions.
Where does the word "Egalitarian" come from?
From French egalitaire, from egalite (equality), from Latin aequalitas. Related to the French Revolutionary ideal of egalite — one of the three values of liberte, egalite, fraternite.